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nokia n95: my review

hey mates
been a while since i last posted here. after my xda2, i've been using a mio a701. i was then given budget for a new office phone so what the heck i tried out the n95. here's a review after a month's worth of use:
1) battery - if you're a heavy user of bluetooth, wifi, internet, etc...then chances are you're going to charge this almost every night. the bat was okay and i think it could hold it's own for around 2-3 days. i did try out the media player and after like 2 hours of use the battery went down to almost half (from a full charge). i just ordered 2 extra batteries from ebay...good thing their cheap at 2.00usd each.
2) camera - one of the reasons i got this unit. excellent quality given that it's using carl-z optics. the 5 megapixel is quite good and the flash does work wonders. thing is, the camera can also drain the battery if used continuously. yup, the battery is the number one gripe for the n95. however, i was able to buy this little accessory while in hong kong:
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yup, it's a zoom lense. the package comes with a crystal case and from there you attach the lense holder at the back. you have to be careful before you stick it in. the surface comes with a special adhesive. you have to be careful you put the holder in the right position else you risk having an off-centered lense. once attached, the zoom lense slides into the grooves and there you go. i tested it myself and i must say i was impressed with the telescopic feature. you can then remove the zoom lense and keep it in the padded pouch. i was also able to buy a tripod which clamps the phone in place. regular camera tripods allow you to screw the cam on the holder. for the nokia, the tripod has a padded clamp which holds the unit in place.
3) speed - around 9 years ago i was using a nokia 8850 before i switched to ppc units. i'm still getting used to the fact that i have to use the keypad...and no more stylus for me to pull out. other than that the speed of the unit is quite good. applications start out fast. i tried opening several applications at once and it was able to cope without slowing down.
4) media player - i loaded my mp3s on the micro-sd...paired the unit with my r-35 itech headset and there you go...the a2dp works great. i also shut off the bt app and tried out the stereo speakers. although we're not talking b&o quality here the sound is quite good. i think the speakers have been set so as to prevent the speakers from blowing out. in other words, i cranked up the volume to the max and it showed no signs of distortion. it was loud enough to be heard but of course i would expect that the sound would be drowned out when you're in public (like in a bus or a crowd).
5) sliders - the dual slide system...in my opinion...is not as handy. sure it's an added feature..but when you slide it to the right the screen goes on landscape and simply opens up to the animated menu. this is the same menu which pops out when you press the right bigger button while in portrait mode. from there, you have press the central select button to activate the media player.
6) tv-out - the unit can be plugged into the tv and use the screen to display whatever you want. in this case i also loaded a 3gp file of the movie "happy feet"...and to be honest i was quite impressed. it was like having a mini-dvd player. you can also use the tv to display photos or whatever
7) gps - one of the reasons why i bought this unit....but i wasn't as impressed. if you're a hard core navigation user, then better stick to using ppc gps applications. here in thailand i've been using gps to get around as i'm not a native of this country. i've been using powermap v7 for my mio and i was always happy with it. for the n95, the application is called "maps". you then have to install "maploader" into your pc to enable you to download all the maps you need. the pro for this is the maps are free. the con is that you have to pay for navigation services. although the maps application can provide navigation, it will not give you voice directions. you have to pay for this feature...and it comes in plans. it's not a 1-time payment deal...when you pay it can be for 1 year, 2 years, etc.
paying involves connecting to the internet via your gprs /wifi or whatever method you use. although i'm honest in saying that i'm fortunate the company pays for my phone bill, if you're a regualr plan user this can be a burden.
another thing about the gps is that the antenna is on the bottom of the phone. you would have to tilt the unit around 45 degrees in order to get a signal. i would recommend that you switch to landsape mode so as to allow the antenna direct access to the sky.
getting a signal is okay if the sky is clear. while inside the car, i saw some delays and difficulties in getting a satelite signal. i bought an extra gps-receiver and that boosted the connection speed. although there are symbian gps applications like route66 or tomtom, unfortunately the maps are still limited.
don't get me wrong, i like the n95. however, i'm also keeping my mio as i use it for gps applications. overall it's a good phone and i see myself keeping this for quite some time. i was thinking of getting the ameo...but the size factor is what's keeping me from doing so.
cheers

[VIDEO] EXOGEAR ExoMount Tablet S Dashboard Mount (Fits Galaxy S4)

Goal: Find a mount which would support a larger phone or smaller Android based tablet to enjoy Torque1. This mount needs to firmly grip the device and not allow it to vibrate a tremendous amount. It would also be nice if it didn't look horrible and was easy to mount the phone properly/quickly.
Solution: EXOGEAR ExoMount Tablet S
This mount retails for $49.95, and I believe it was worth every penny. It is hard to sharp shoot its faults when it does such a good job of fulfilling my goal.
Its flexibility guarantees that I will be able to use it in the future with other devices. I shouldn't outgrow this product quickly.
Now enjoy my crummy video and pictures. Tested it with the Note 2, Galaxy S, and HTC One so far...
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On the Galaxy S4, it would be easy to charge and access the power button. Not so much for the headphone jack. Bluetooth is the key for audio if using this mount.
The charge port is not in the center of the HTC One. It would have to be offset in order for the charger to be plugged in. You also can't plugin a 3.5mm headphone jack. Again, use bluetooth if possible. You wouldn't want the device to go into sleep as it would be hard to press the power button.
Manufacturer's Website:
http://www.exogear.com
1 - Torque is an Android application.
Description from Play Store:
See what your car is doing in realtime, get OBD fault codes, car performance, sensor data and more!
Torque is a vehicle / car performance / diagnostics tool and scanner that uses an OBD II Bluetooth adapter to connect to your OBD2 engine management / ECU
Layout your own dashboard with the widgets / gauges you want!
It can use the GPS to provide tracker logs with OBD engine logging so you can see what you were doing at any point in time
It can also show and reset a DTC / CEL / fault code like a scantool. Helps you fix your car and helps keep repair costs down!
S4 Related Stuff
Trident Aegis Series Case - http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2271946
ExoGear ExoMount Tablet S Dashboard Mount - http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2271890
Incipio DualPro SHINE (Silicrylic) - http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2255790
Seidio Surface Case (Platinum PT @ Best Buy) - http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2264686
ZAGG InvisibleSHIELD Install - http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2255755
Install Adobe Flash - http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2257942
Setup AT&T Visual Voicemail (not messages) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyuUyZ2nxYs
Setup Google Voice - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyuUyZ2nxYs
TV Remote Demonstration - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ltlo0UNfuA
SpeedTest in Houston Medical Center vs HTC One (AT&T) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxqzlkGfjkw
Galaxy S4 vs HTC One vs Nexus 4 vs Note 2 Quadrant Benchmark Test - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjYesuj-7ac
Unboxing - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnUlkKMfsrw

That looks sick. Just curious what kind of car is that?

spawn11587 said:
That looks sick. Just curious what kind of car is that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks...
Supercharged Scion FR-S.

Photobucket pic doesnt work for some reason. Got a link to a thread. That looks mean inside. Never saw the interior of the FR-S, but it looks really good.

Hey your vid just links over to the Trident case review. I did watch the exogear mount video..looks like a possibility for me. On your 2nd video of this..could you get the installation of it as well.

NogaroS4 said:
Hey your vid just links over to the Trident case review. I did watch the exogear mount video..looks like a possibility for me. On your 2nd video of this..could you get the installation of it as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for pointing that out! <fixed>
I'll try to mention it, but it is already installed. I did have to go back and use that silver pad with 3M on the backside today. It was really hot and the adhesive on the suction cup wasn't enough to keep it mounted.
NOTE: It is meant to be used with the 3M disk so this is not a design flaw. Also, I should have used an alcohol pad to clean the dash and remove any traces of Armor All.

Aftermarket Docks And Fun With Tasker / Smart Connect

I bought numerous docks off amazon. They all are coming from China so I figured I'd order a few from different places and see what happens. Estimated delivery on the first dock was end of October and I recieved it the 19th of Sept.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D7VDPQ0/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_6
I got two from these guys and they are awesome. Very basic and simple, but the phone seats nice and snuggly with a full Skinomi CF skin applied and SP on front. They come with a somewhat short cable. They do not have a weight inside to give them that sturdy heavy feel, but this doesnt bother me, gives them a cheap feel but when you think that a chunk of pot metal inside means nothing then it's easy to accept. I have a few more coming in due time but so far I am very happy with these. They come in Black, White, and Purple. I ordered two black. I keep one on the night side stand and one beside my recliner. I will update with photos if there is any interest and also update with other docks as they come trickling in.
So on to the what we do with them part. This all started when I read the DIY dock topic. I built one and boy did it suck. So I said screw it, $15 and I can have one. I just wanted to charge without having to pick at that dump little flap with my gorilla hands but once I got to realize the possibilities it went crazy from there. I originally started with Sonys built in Smart Connect app but quickly outgrew it within an hour as I expected more and more out of it so I went back to an app I havnt used in years, Tasker. Smart connect is decent if you want some basic to mid level routines executed though. I had it set to
When Docked Between 1800 to 0600=Turn on BT>Connect to BT speaker>Launch Lightening Bug app> lower phone and notification volumes>Brightness to 50%
At End=Read Time>Raise all volumes to Max>Brightness to 100%>BT Off
Plus other variations on the above based on times (which covered if I was docked at bed or by chair)
However the Lightening bug app still kept going which is annoying since there is no (as far as i know) kill option for the at end. Tasker can be simple or complex, depending how far you want to push it. Im playing with plugins now trying to get it to recognize the dock state. Thoughts? Anyone else get a bit nutty with automating routines? Is this being discussed elsewhere and I need to STFU and go away?
**Edited title since I have more to add after getting spun up on tasker last night.
So I know there are others far more versed in the ways of Tasker than I, but I havnt seen any real discussions. Here's what I set up last night.
My Profiles (Think of as conditions to be met that trigger tasks)
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And these are my tasks, or actions. When a Profile is met, such as phone docked, then the linked task will be executed.
So the profile Dock Night (obvious bad pun intended), named because I plan to set up other dock profiles for work based on either time or location or other variable. Dock Desk Dock is the condition that must me met. Dock Desk is what and the second Dock means in rather than out of the dock. When this profile is met it runs the Night Dock task, which is a series of predefined actions. Lets look at those.
This one is very simple one once you know where to look for all the right pieces. I had to download a plugin for Tasker called Locale Dock Condition that easily allows tasker to see and work with dock states.
When inserted into dock it will:
Lower notification volume (3/7) for those middle of the night emails and texts
Sets brightness to Auto
Speaks outloud text indicating its in dock mode, something i admittedly threw in just to hear it.
Turns on BT which inturn connects to my BT speaker by the bed.
Loads App that plays the sounds for night time and locks display on for clock.
All of this happens nearly instantly and is awesome for not having to do stuff constantly. I have others that when you turn the display on it snaps a picture giving me a album full of selfies but the occasional shot of someone looking at my phone, usually wife. And others for when the passcode is entered wrongly. 2 times it snaps severals pictures and auto uploads to drop box. 5 wrong attempts it begins recording audio for 15 minutes and this too will be uploaded to dropbox.

Is there a way to configure the forced auto rotation in dock mode to be turned off?
If the phones docked even if I have auto rotation turned off in settings it just ignores it and rotates anyway.

[Q] Help with Vodafone Smart Mini (Alcatel OT-V875) - battery issues

Hi,
I bought a UK Vodafone Smart Mini (Alcatel OT-V875 Mediatek MT6575) with no battery and no back - sold
as is - no history.
Batteries are kinda expensive for this phone (ALi014A 4-terminal), so I've been trying to see if it is a
working phone before I risk buying a battery.
If I plug in a charger, the notification led comes on solid blue, but pressing the POWER button
does nothing.
If I attach a charged Li-Ion 3.7 v 2-terminal battery (4.1 v measured) taken from another phone to the
phone's + and - contacts with clips and press+hold the POWER button, nothing happens. The blue led
stays off.
If I attach the phone to a PC via USB with no battery, the Mediatek preloader device appears
then disappears from the device manager. It does this every time I unplug and plug the phone
into the PC.
If I attach the phone to a PC via USB with just the 2 terminals connected to a battery, the
Mediatek preloader appears and disappears the first time, but if I unplug and plug the phone in again,
no USB devices are found. The blue led comes on as soon as I attach the USB lead and stays on
after I have unplugged it.
If I install the Mediatek preloader VCOM drivers, start SP Flash Tool in readback with this
[attachment 1]
readback map and connect the phone to the PC with USB, I get a complete download of the flash memory
- it takes about 40 minutes.
I have used bgcngm's mtk unpack tools in Cygwin to successfully unpack the BOOTIMG, RECOVERY and LOGO
images and they all look like Linux stuff, but I have no idea whether they are b0rked by
file misconfigurations within the packed image.
I have dumped the phone's cache space (0x3da4c000 to 0x40000000) and this is nearly all zeros
( compresses from 39534592B to 12055B ), so it looks like the last owner did a cache wipe before
selling it.
Here's how the other parts of the image look.
[attachment 2]
So my question is - does this phone _need_ a 4-terminal battery to boot ?

[SOLVED]
So I worked it out myself - this phone won't boot with 'ON'switch at all with just a 2-terminal battery. Reading datasheet of Mediatek and Ricoh PMIC chip I see the other 2 pins need to be connected with resistors - easy.
Now it boots.

Me too
melvaka said:
So I worked it out myself - this phone won't boot with 'ON'switch at all with just a 2-terminal battery. Reading datasheet of Mediatek and Ricoh PMIC chip I see the other 2 pins need to be connected with resistors - easy.
Now it boots.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
I have the same issue and intend to use the phone as a security cam and so don't need battery power. If you could post the pins/resistor values that would be great!

10k to ground - pins from the pic on any auction site selling the right battery. 4th pin is not some crypto-authentication anti-counterfeit nonsense, despite what some sites claim - this is a cheeeeep phone !

Hi, I wanted to just double check the pins before hooking up the wires to my phone, as I don't want to kill my phone
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Assume pin1 is on the left and pin4 is on the right, I'm guessing this is how to wire it up:
Pin 1: 10k to Battery -ve
Pin 2: Battery -ve
Pin 3: 10k to Battery -ve
Pin 4: Battery +ve
Is this correct?
Finally where can I find the Ricoh PMIC chip datasheet? I have another phone (VF-675) which uses a similar battery and would like to power it also without the official battery which is TLi014A2 which is a the same size and capacity as the TLi014A1. Thanks

Pins - yes
PMIC data sheet from Ricoh
I see no-one hits the 'Thanks' button much in this forum.

Perfect, thanks, I found the button also, I'm new here I managed to power the phone from an 18650 and it works great, looks a little ugly, I cut up a SD to Micro SD card adaptor in order to press against the phones battery contacts.
I went thru the datasheet also, a lot of it was over my head, but I have a similar Mediatek phone (alcatel 4030x) which has similar problems with the battery swelling up so I think I'll try that with an 18650 as it seems to use the same PMIC.

Dex Unexpectedly Works Using USB-C hub

THE GOOD:
I bought a USB-C hub (TOPGEEK USB C to HDMI 3-in-1 Digital Multiport Adapter on Amazon for $21.99, can't post the link on here) for my Chromebook Pro and it works great mirroring and extending the desktop on an external monitor. I figured I'd give it a shot on my unlocked S8+, and low and behold, it launched Dex from my phone without help from any 3rd party app, rooting the device, etc.!
THE BAD:
I can run Dex and have connected a USB keyboard/mouse combo, but this setup only works using the phone battery. As soon as I plug in the Samsung charger, it kills Dex and exits the app. I tried skipping the HDMI cord and just tried charging the S8, but that does not work either -- BUT, it will charge the chromebook. So I am confused as ever, and everything I've read on XDA, googled, YouTubed, etc. does not match exactly what I'm using or have setup, so it's hard to draw any conclusions.
Any thoughts of what could be going on? I'm tempted to buy another hub, but I don't know what to look for that would fix my problem.
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Anyone have a suggestion of what to try next? I thought there'd be more excitement since I am not rooted, did not flash a custom kernel, etc. Just plugged in the USB-C hub and launched Dex directly.
Or am I missing something??? Nothing I've read exactly matches the case I've got right now...

gime_time said:
Anyone have a suggestion of what to try next? I thought there'd be more excitement since I am not rooted, did not flash a custom kernel, etc. Just plugged in the USB-C hub and launched Dex directly.
Or am I missing something??? Nothing I've read exactly matches the case I've got right now...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It certainly is curious, but it still is Dex. - totally not interesting for 99% of the S8(+) Users. Plus it´s already achievable through custom Kernels.

gime_time said:
THE GOOD:
I bought a USB-C hub (TOPGEEK USB C to HDMI 3-in-1 Digital Multiport Adapter on Amazon for $21.99, can't post the link on here) for my Chromebook Pro and it works great mirroring and extending the desktop on an external monitor. I figured I'd give it a shot on my unlocked S8+, and low and behold, it launched Dex from my phone without help from any 3rd party app, rooting the device, etc.!
THE BAD:
I can run Dex and have connected a USB keyboard/mouse combo, but this setup only works using the phone battery. As soon as I plug in the Samsung charger, it kills Dex and exits the app. I tried skipping the HDMI cord and just tried charging the S8, but that does not work either -- BUT, it will charge the chromebook. So I am confused as ever, and everything I've read on XDA, googled, YouTubed, etc. does not match exactly what I'm using or have setup, so it's hard to draw any conclusions.
Any thoughts of what could be going on? I'm tempted to buy another hub, but I don't know what to look for that would fix my problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For using Dex and charging simultaneously you can use the wireless charger free given by Samsung. Let me know if that works

Wireless charger offer still active?
Can anyone confirm for me whether Samsung is still offering the free wireless charger for new S8/S8+ owners? I have a new AT&T Galaxy S8+ and it does not have the "My Galaxy" app loaded on it. I also can't find it in either the Play Store or the Galaxy Apps store. Does anyone know if this offer is still being honored? I see a page about it on the Samsung website, but all the instructions talk about using the "My Galaxy" app to get the coupon code to claim one.
Thanks!
sp1312 said:
For using Dex and charging simultaneously you can use the wireless charger free given by Samsung. Let me know if that works
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Has anyone tried to connect the S8 to a USB-C enabled display (that also possess a USB hub) to see if it would work (as the USB-C from the display should deliver power and data)